Bible Commentaries

2 Chronicles 34 overview — THE DISCOVERY OF THE BOOK OF MOSES IN THE TEMPLE XV. JOSIAH (640-609 B.C.) With the exception of 2 Chronicles 34:3-7 and 2 Chronicles 36:22-23, all of the events in these three concluding chapters of Second Chronicles we have already discussed in the parallel accounts in 2 Kings 22:1 to 2 Kings 25:12, where we have devoted pages 273 to 330 to our comments. We

Psalms 126:3 — Lenten liturgy, preparatory to the New Year."B, Vol. IV, p. 665. However, we are delighted that the same author candidly admitted that such an interpretation requires, "Reading into the text more than is warranted."Ibid. What is stated in Psalms 126:3 is that Israel itself joined the chorus of the Gentile nations in praising God for the mighty things done upon behalf of the Chosen People.

Proverbs 17:2 — the Bible. "A slave who deals wisely will rule over a child that acts shamefully, and will share the inheritance as one of the family."The New Revised Standard Version of the Bible. Eliezer the servant of Abraham was just such a servant (Genesis 15:2-3) as that which is spoken of here.

Proverbs 29:3 — that keepeth company with harlots wasteth his substance." This proverb is only a slight variation from at least a dozen others that stress the same truth. "Licentiousness is put as the opposite of wisdom in Proverbs 2:10; Proverbs 2:16; Proverbs 5:1-3; Proverbs 6:23-24; Proverbs 9:1; Proverbs 9:13. Additionally, the first line is found in Proverbs 10:1; Proverbs 23:13; Proverbs 23:24; Proverbs 27:11; and line two is similar to Proverbs 5:9-10."International Critical Commentary, Vol. 17, p. 507.

Isaiah 65 overview — of this chapter, we have (1) God's reply to the complaints visible in Israel's prayer for deliverance (Isaiah 65:1-7); (2) regardless of the total destruction awaiting the irreligious majority, a faithful remnant shall be redeemed (Isaiah 65:8-12); (3) a mingling of threats to the unfaithful and promises to the faithful (Isaiah 65:13-16); (4) a glorious depiction of the age of Messiah (Isaiah 65:17-25).

Daniel 1 overview — This chapter gives the historical setting (Daniel 1:1-2), introduces the four Hebrew young men whose deeds are featured in Daniel (Daniel 1:3-7), tells how these "four" did not wish to violate God's dietary rules and requested that they may eat only those things which God allowed (Daniel 1:9-13), reports how after an experimental period often days, the steward complied with their request

Hosea 2:10 — now will I uncover her lewdness in the sight of her lovers, and none shall deliver her out of my hand." Part of the punishment of a harlot in some of the Mid-East countries involved their being stripped and driven away naked, as indicated in Hosea 2:3, above. This verse is merely a reiteration of the disastrous punishment inflicted upon Israel. One may well wonder if a thing like this actually happened to Gomer; but if it did, the prophet mercifully covered it. However, there would be no mitigation

Hosea 3 overview — Gomer after their divorce. Thus, the event of the prophet's purchase of Gomer after she became a slave occurs in the narrative just exactly at the right place the more perfectly to present that analogy. All of the fiddling with these chapters (Hosea 1-3) which has been engaged in by scholars attributing this or that verse to some nameless "redactor," or by revising the order of the chapters, or shifting the date of the whole prophecy as a means of getting rid of his reference to future events, - all

Matthew 10:26 — but would result in its being published. Persecution actually provided then, as always, the following benefits for the thing, doctrine, or person persecuted: (1) it intensifies the zeal of the persecuted party; (2) arouses sympathy for the underdog; (3) if intense enough, multiplies centers of dissemination for the hated truth. All these results were clearly observable in the history of the early church.

Matthew 7:28 — significance of this great sermon was not lost upon those who first heard it. They understood, although probably not all of them believed, that Jesus in this magnificent discourse laid claim to authority surpassing that of: (1) the scribes, (2) the Decalogue, (3) Moses, (4) the Holy Scriptures, and (5) all earthly and human authorities. The truly perceptive must surely have detected the advance indications that here indeed was THE MESSIAH.

Luke 8 overview — In this chapter, there is a unique glance at Jesus' ministry, disclosing certain women as financial backers of his ministry (Luke 8:1-3), followed by events common to the other of the holy Gospels: the parable of the sower (Luke 8:4-15), lessons from the lamp (Luke 8:16-18), spiritual kinship more important than fleshly kinship (Luke 8:19-21), stilling the tempest (Luke 8:22-25), the

John 17:26 — great compound name of the Lord, used here for the first time on earth; and it is impossible to separate repeated references to "the name which thou hast given me" from that very compound title of the world's only Saviour. (See under John 17:3 and John 17:11.) This alone can adequately explain the apostolic preference for "Jesus Christ," as used so many times in the New Testament. It is simply unbelievable that the apostles themselves contrived this name, made it their favorite

Acts 3:1 — occasions for preaching Christ to the people. In time, God would remove the temple; and the separation from Judaism would become complete. Ten reasons why, it may be concluded, that God destroyed the temple are discussed in my Commentary on Mark, Mark 13:2. Regarding the chronology of just when the event described in this chapter occurred, some have been quite anxious to suppose that a long period had elapsed since Pentecost, Ramsay declaring that "It is not made clear at this point whether weeks

1 Corinthians 1 overview — PAUL'S FIRST LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS Paul began, as always, with a salutation (1 Corinthians 1:1-3), and thanksgiving (1 Corinthians 1:4-9), moving immediately to the principal objective of the epistle, which was that of correcting rampant disorders in the Corinthian church. He first took up the problem of disunity (1 Corinthians 1:10-17), expounded

Philippians 3:10-11 — dead. As Barry pointed out, "The order of these verses is notable and instructive Alfred Barry, op. cit., p. 82. The three mountain peaks of interest are: (1) the resurrection of Christ; (2) the fellowship of Christians with him in sufferings; and (3) the glorious resurrection unto eternal life at the last day. The three-fold emphasis discernible in these verses provides a thumbnail abbreviation of the apostolic gospel, an abbreviation which by extension can be made to include nearly everything

Colossians 3:5 — Put to death therefore your members which are upon the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Put to death … Here is a paradox. As Hendriksen noted: "You died" (Colossians 3:3) … "Put to death therefore your members" (Colossians 3:5) … On the one hand Paul is saying that the Colossians have already died; yet, on the other hand, he is telling them that they must put themselves to death. How can both

Hebrews 3:16 — in a majority or what is popular. The author pointedly reminds his readers that the wilderness failure of Israel was on a national scale, supported by the overwhelming majority, and popularly led and advocated by the great princes of Israel (Numbers 13:3-16). The statement that "all they" rebelled is hyperbole, exaggeration for the sake of emphasis; and, while it is true that Caleb and Joshua refused to be with the majority and survived to enter Canaan, "The exception was so small that

James 3:10 — out of the same mouth cometh forth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. In the admonition here and in the preceding verse (James 3:9) Macknight thought that James might have had reference to a widespread custom of early Christian times, in which Christians were "cursed bitterly in Jewish synagogues." James Macknight, op. cit., p. 378. It would appear, however, that it

Judges 12:7 — unknown place, and therefore, we are inclined to accept as very probably true the rendition of this phrase as it stands in the LXX, the Syriac, the Arabic and Vulgate versions of the Bible, "He was buried in his city Gilead."The Pulpit Commentary, Vol. 3-C, p. 131.

1 John 1:5 — verses lies in the arrangement of his thoughts around such words as "if we say," which are undeniably addressed to the prevailing errors he was exposing. God is light … Orr supposed that a similar grand pronouncement found in 1 John 3:11, introduced by words almost identical with the introductory clause here, might indicate that we have in the words "God is light" an actual saying of Jesus Christ repeated by him at various times.R. W. Orr, op. cit., p. 609. He based this